


Coffee at Cosimo's

by ShayneyL



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Episode: s02e05 Non Sequitur, Ficlet, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Pre-Slash, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 07:09:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20093320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayneyL/pseuds/ShayneyL
Summary: Finally paroled, Tom Paris takes a job at Cosimo's coffee shop.





	Coffee at Cosimo's

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Month 2019, Day 3. The prompt is "coffee shop AU."
> 
> This is the prompt that gave me most pause. I'd never written a coffee shop AU. I'd never read a coffee shop AU. I don't think I've ever been in a coffee shop. I hate coffee!
> 
> But we do see a coffee shop in _Voyager_ — in an alternate timeline. This is sort of an AU of an AU. It's the timeline we saw in "Non Sequitur"...if Harry had been there all along, rather than being suddenly transplanted there.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

"Here," Alice Battisti said. She handed Tom a fresh, white apron. "Make sure it's always clean. If you spill something on it, throw it in the 'fresher and get a new one. No one wants to be served coffee by a slob."

Tom slipped the apron over his head, and tied it around his waist. He let his eyes wander over the lush curves of his new boss. Even the loose apron she wore couldn't hide her assets. 

"Look, Paris," Alice said. "I expect you to actually work, not stand there ogling me all day."

Tom pulled his gaze up to meet hers. He had frequented this coffee shop when he was a cadet, and had tried his best to get into Alice's pants then. To no avail. 

"Come on, Alice," he said. "Just because we work together doesn't mean we can't be...friends." 

It was just habit. He wasn't really expecting to get anywhere with her, not after all these years. Sure enough...

"If I weren't a lesbian, meeting you would have made me one," Alice said. She handed him a damp rag. "Go wipe the outside tables." 

Tom did. It was rather silly. Most tables were self-cleaning these days. Heck, there was perfectly good coffee available from any replicator. But customers came here for the experience. Cosimo's was practically an institution. Originally founded by Alice's great-grandfather. Or was it great-great-grandfather? It served coffee that was grown, not replicated, freshly ground, and actually brewed by humans. And it had tables that needed to be wiped. 

Alice, he knew, had given him this job as a favor to his father. Owen Paris, when he was home, was one of Cosimo's best customers. Right now, his dad was on a deep space mission. As usual. This time, he was looking for _Voyager_ — a lost starship Tom had barely avoided being on himself. He hadn't made it past Deep Space Nine. He'd gotten drunk, gotten in a fight with a Ferengi, and next thing he knew, he was back in Auckland. 

Now he was finally paroled. His dad had said he could stay in his apartment, as long as he gave up drinking and got a job. Tom had agreed, not wanting to fall into his old habits, but also figuring it wouldn't be long before he did. That's why he took this job at Cosimo's. They didn't sell anything stronger than espresso. He knew he couldn't trust himself if he worked in a place that served alcohol. Like Sandrine's. 

Sandrine's. The thought of it filled him with longing. He could be there in a couple of hours. With the time difference, it would be evening in Marseilles. Prime time for drinking...which was why he couldn't go. He'd tell himself he was just going to play pool, but he knew how it would end. 

Maybe he should just give up. He knew himself, and it was only a matter of time until he gave in. He could resist anything except temptation. 

"Just one day at a time," his counselor had told him. "Don't think about tomorrow, just one day at a time."

He finished wiping the tables, and went back in. "I'll show you how to make coffee now," Alice said. "One of our regulars called in an order. His usual: Vulcan mocha, extra sweet." 

Tom was still figuring out the equipment when the customer walked in. "Sorry, Harry," Alice said. "New hire. He's still learning."

"That's okay," a warm, deep voice replied. Tom looked up, and found a young man smiling at him. He was wearing a gold ensign's uniform, and was stunningly attractive. It hit him like a punch in the gut. And got him an elbow in the ribs from Alice. Tom realized he was staring. With his mouth hanging open. 

"Here," Alice said. She'd finished the drink for him. "The lids are over there." 

Tom fumbled with the lid, getting the wrong size at first, then handed the coffee to the young ensign. "Vulcan mocha, extra sweet," he said, trying to ignore the surge of heat he felt as their fingers brushed.

"Thanks," the young man said. His gaze lingered on Tom for moment, then he turned and left. Tom stood there, feeling like he'd been hit by a plasma charge.

"Who was that?" he asked. 

Alice gave him a sharp look. "That's Harry. Comes in every day. Has for years. He was a cadet at the Academy, but he graduated last May. Works in Starfleet Engineering now. He's a good kid. Don't you start creeping on him."

"Who, me?" Tom protested, giving her his best innocent look.

"Clean the coffee press, Tom. The instructions are posted beside it."

Tom turned to obey. _Comes in every day_. Which means he would be in tomorrow. 

One day at a time. He could do this.

**Author's Note:**

> I always thought "Non Sequitur" was kind of the ultimate P/K episode, even more than "The Chute." We found out that it's meeting Harry that makes Tom stop being "a loser and a drunk." When he doesn't meet Harry, he ends up back in jail. As soon as he does meet Harry, he turns his life around and becomes a hero. 😊


End file.
